Quiet Morning at Mid-Winter

The body has said "enough sleep." So I'm up yet not quite rarin' to go. Still need to pack and get the girls up and shuttle them over to my parent's room.

In order to all of this, I will not be attending the agent's panel this morning "AGENTS DISCUSS THE MARKET."

I could be wrong, assuming that this is similiar to the Publisher Panel, only from the agent's POV. But I don't think I'm too far off. Perhaps Stephanie or Amy - my fellow blue borders - are being good little writers and attending. So we can get the scoop from them later.

Thanks to Pam who posted that JUST IN CASE is by Judith Viorst. This is a PB put out by Atheneum, for those who'd like to see what Ginee Seo meant by Atheneum PBs are a bit quirkier than average.

Since today will be a much shorter day, I'm also hoping Stephanie and Amy are attending different workshops so we may all get a good look into what was shared. I was really curious about the Contract Basics workshop. But being a total author groupie, couldn't pass up attending Francine Pascal's workshop.

Speaking of groupies - last night in the lobby, we were trying to catch the elevator and Nikki Giovanni walks by us, deep in conversation with a companion. My mom, recognizing her right away says, "Hi," in one of those "I know you voices." You know, the one that's high-pitched with recognition.

Nikki said "Hello" back in that, thrown off for a second, do I know her way.

My mom was so pleased to have seen her and Princess A (my oldest daughter at age 11) teased me and my mom for getting so excited about seeing authors and poets.

But I'm so not the star struck type. George Clooney or some singer could walk by me and I'd casually mention, "Hey wasn't that George Clooney?" or "Mariah Carey?" But I wouldn't be fazed by it at all. No autographs for me. I'd just end up losing whatever it's written on.

I told my daughter, for me, it's a combination of 1) my love of books and reading, 2) authors never get the rock star treatment, but deserve it and 3) most times you may not even know what your fave author looks like. They could step on your foot in passing, apologize and still you may not place their face in that quick exchange of time. So it's kind of cool when you do recognize them.

But primarily #1 is why I get all giddy seeing my favorite author. Yeah, I love lots of music and movies. I'm a pop culture geek! It's part of our religion to know bits of useless info about all genres of entertainment.

But nothing makes me feel the way reading a really good book feels. So it's part awe and part gratefulness I feel towards authors and why I go all teen groupie when I see them.

Don't worry, I'm not chasing Francine down in the halls or anything. But it's just really cool to see the author of books that had me squirreld away in a corner daydreaming my weekends away.

Ahh the Princesses are awake (reluctantly so for the oldest), time to motor.

-P